Finishing-machine for wire hoops.



No. 717,648. PATENTED JAN. 6, 190:3

' G. V. WILLSON.

FINISHING MACHINE FOR WIRE HOOPS. APPLICATION 1111.31) my 28, 1901.

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APPLIUATION FILED MAY 28, 1901.

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G. V.'WILLSON.

FINISHING MACHINE FOR WIRE HOOPS. APPLICATION FILED MAY B8, 1901.

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UNITED STATES ATENT- OFFICE.

GEORGE V. VVILLSON, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FINISHING-MACHINE FOR WIRE HOOPS.

SPEGZFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,648, dated January 6, 1903. Application filed May 28, 1901. Serial No. 62,192. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE V. WILLsoN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Finishing-Machines for WVire Hoops, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to mechanism for finishing wire hoops, my object being to provide a simple and efficient apparatus which after the hoop has been formed and its ends locked together will set the look by exposing it to a pull in the direction in which it is intended to resist pulling strains and which will at the same time true the hoop as to shape and as to diameter. d

Essentially my machine consists of a sectional expanding mandrel provided with mechanism for moving the sections alternately apart and together, said expanding mandrel having substantially the shape and diameter of the finishedhoop, so that a hoop placed upon it in a collapsed-form is when the mandrel is expanded brought 'to correct shape and subjected to strains which set its lock and impart to it the proper diameter. By preference (and in practice this is very important) my mandrel is made in two parts of different diameter, so that hoops can be successively acted upon first on the narrow portion and then on the full-sized mandrel, in this way the hoop being brought to approximately correct shape on the narrower portion of the mandrel and to absolutely correct shape on the larger portion. By preference also I construct my machine with two oppositelydisposed expanding mandrels, so that two hoops can be treated at a time and the strains evenly distributed throughout the machine.

Other features of my invention will be best understood as described in connection with the drawings, in Which Figure l is a side elevation of my wire-hoopfinishing' machine. Fig. 2 is an end View of the machine; Fig. 3, a plan view with the upper frame and mandrel-sections removed. Fig. 4 is an end View of the wedge-frame; Fig. 5, a side elevation of the wedge-frame,

taken on the section-line 5 5 of Fig. at. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a wire hoop such as my machine is adapted to finish, and Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the section-line 7 7 of Fig. l.

Aindicates thesupporting-frame of the machine, to the top of which at A is secured the frame-section B, to be hereinafter described, whilefrom the side of the frame A extends the arm A supporting the bearings for the shaft G, the outer end of which is supported on an independent frame, (indicated at A The frame B is of substantially semicylindrical form, with its upper edges indicated at B and outwardly extending ends indicated at B, and is formed with internal brackets, as indicated at B B to support the bearings of shafts, to he hereinaftenmentioned. From the outer side of the frame B extends the bracket B for supporting the outer bearing of the shaft D.

C and G are mandrel-sections secured on 'the opposite ends of the frame B, with pref- (indicated at f Gear-wheel D also actuates,

through an intermediate wheel E, the gearwheel F, secured to the shaft F, to which shaft are also secured the cams F The shaft D has also secured to it the gear-wheel D,

which engages the smaller gear, (indicated at G said gear being secured on a shaft G, to which is also secured the driving-pulley (indicated at G'.)

K is a semicylindrical frame or casing situated immediately above the frame B and guided in any convenient way, so as to be movable vertically away from and toward said frame B. To this frame or casing K is secured the mandrel-sections L, situated immediately above the mandrel-sections C, but preferably of less breadth and having mandrel-sections L L of less diameter extending over the front ends of the sections 0 C, as shown. By preference the casing K is continued beyond the mandrel-sections, as indicated at K K, these extensions serving as convenient supports for the hoops before they are placed upon the mandrels by the Operators.

The casing K and the mandrel-sections attached to it are alternately moved toward and away from the stationary mandrel-section C by any convenient mechanism, as shown, by the action of the cams F which I have shovs n as acting not directly against the casing K, but against an adjustable wedge-frame adjustably secured to said casings. Thus the casing has extending from its narrow face the wedge-sections K K against which rest the inclined or wedge sides 11 h of the wedge-frames H h, which, as shown, have fiat lower faces H it, upon which two revolving. cams F f operate, the sides of the frame being connected by a bridge, as indicated at H 7L3, said bridge being perforated and threaded to receive an adjustingscrew I, working through the face of the head K. In order to give greater facility for adjustment, I have shown the arms H and h as separate from each other, but provided with overlapping end pieces H h, slotted, as indicated at h and coupled together by a clamping-bolt J. It will be understood, however, that the particular device for varying the size of the mandrels is not of the essence of my invention and can be supplemented by any equivalent devices which will readily occur to those skilled in the mechanic arts.

In operation the operator places a hoop over the mandrel-sections L and C while they are in collapsed position, and the movement apart of these sections expands and sets the hoop. It will be found most convenient, however, to first place the hoop over the sections L and the outer end of the section 0, so as to give it a preliminary stretching during one extension of the mandrel, and then placing it on the enlarged mandrel it is exposed to a final stretching and setting action which brings it to the proper shape and size. As already mentioned, the hoops are conveniently placed on holders K, so that the operator will have them close at hand to present to the expanding mandrel.

While of course any mechanism for expanding and contracting the mandrel can be used, I prefer the arrangement of rotating cams revolving in opposite directions shown in the drawings, because these cams are not only a convenient device for giving exactly such a motion as is most desirable, but also by acting in opposite directions upon the upper frame they obviate any tendency to shift the position of said frame.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for finishing wire hoops, a stationary frame having a mandrel-section extending from its end, a movable frame situated above said stationary frame and having a mandrel section extending from its end above the stationary section aforesaid, and positivelyactuated means for moving the movable frame secured on the stationary frame.

2. In a machine for finishing wire hoops, a stationary frame having a mandrel-section extending from its end, a movable frame situated above said stationary frame and having a mandrel section extending from its end above the stationary section aforesaid, positively-actuated means for moving the movable frame secured on the stationary frame, and means for adjusting the movement of the movable frame with respect to the stationary frame.

3. In a machine for finishing wire hoops, a stationary frame having a mandrel-section extending from its end, a movable frame situated above said stationary frame and having a mandrel sect-ion extending from its end above the stationary section aforesaid, and positivelyactuated means for moving the movable frame secured on the stationary frame and acting directly between the mandrel-sections.

4. In a machine for finishing wire hoops, a sectional mandrel, made up of an approximately semicylindrical' section 0 and a section having an approximately semicylindrical part L and a part L of more flattened curvature, the parts 0 and L being adapted to expand to the size of the hoops, and means for actuating the mandrel-sections.

5. In a machine for finishing wire hoops, a frame B having secured to it at opposite ends two mandrel-sections O O, in combination with a movable frame K supported above frame 13 and having secured to its opposite ends the mandrel-sections L and L, and positively-actuated cams supported on frame B and acting on frame K.

6. In a machine for finishing wire hoops, a frame B having secured to it at opposite ends two mandrel-sections O O, in combination with a movable frame K supported above frame B and having secured to its opposite ends the mandrel-sections L and L',positivelyactuated cams supported on frame B and acting on frame K, and hoop-holders secured to the frame or frames immediately in front of the mandrels.

7. In a machine for finishing wire hoops, a frame B having secured to it at opposite ends two mandrel-sections O O, in combination with a movable frame K supported above frame B and having secured to its opposite ends the mandrel-sections L and L, and cams supported on frame B, wedge-frames adapted to rest on and be moved by the cams and to impart movement to the upper frame K, and means for adjusting said wedgeframes to vary the expansion of the mandrels.

GEORGE V. WILLSON.

Witnesses:

A. J. KELLY, Jr., W. W. HEWITT. 

